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07 Maneuvering - The Art of War - Lao Tzu · The Philosophy Insights Collection

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  Chapter seven, Maneuvering, Sunsu said, in war, the general receives his
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  commands from the sovereign. Having collected an army and concentrated his forces, he
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  must blend and harmonize the different elements thereof before pitching his camp. After that
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  comes tactical maneuvering, than which there is nothing more difficult. The difficulty of
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  tactical maneuvering consists in turning the devious into the direct and misfortune into gain.
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  Thus, to take a long and circuitous route after enticing the enemy out of
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  the way, and though starting after him, to contrive to reach the goal
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  before him, shows knowledge of the artifice of deviation. Maneuvering with an army
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  is advantageous with an undisciplined multitude, most dangerous. If you set a fully
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  equip army in march in order to snatch an advantage, the chances are that
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  you will be too late. On the other hand, to detach a flying
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  column for the purpose involves the sacrifice of its baggage and stores. Thus,
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  if you order your men to roll up their buff coats and make forced marches
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  without halting day or night, covering double the usual distance at a stretch,
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  doing one hundred lee in order to rest an advantage. The leaders of all
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  your three divisions will fall into the hands of the enemy. The stronger men
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  will be in front, the jaded ones will fall behind. And on this
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  plan, only one tenth of your army will reach its destination. If you
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  march fifty lee in order to out maneuver the enemy, you will lose the
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  leader of your first division, and only half your force will reach the goal.
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  If you march thirty lee with the same object, two thirds of your
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  army will arrive. We will take it then that an army without its baggage
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  train is lost. Without provisions, it is lost. Without basis of supply,
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  it is lost. We cannot enter into alliances until we are acquainted with
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  the designs of our neighbors. We are not fit to lead an army on
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  the march unless we are familiar with the face of the country, its mountains
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  and forests, its pitfalls and precipices, its marshes and swamps. We shall
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  be unable to turn natural advantage to account unless we make use of local guides
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  in war, practice dissimulation, and you will succeed. Whether to concentrate or
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  to divide your troops must be decided by circumstances. Let your rapidity be that
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  of the wind, your come pactness that of the forest. In rating and
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  plundering, be like in immovability, like a mountain. Let your plans be
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  dark and impenetrable as night. And when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.
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  When you plunder a countryside, let the spoil be divided amongst your men.
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  When you capture new territory, cut it up into allotments for the benefit
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  of the soldiering, ponder and deliberate before you make a move. He will
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  conquer who has lurt the artifice of deviation. Such is the art of maneuvering.
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  The Book of Army Management says, on the field of battle, the
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  spoken word does not carry far enough, hence the institution of gongs and drums.
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  Nor can ordinary objects be seen clearly enough, hence the institution of banners
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  and flags. Gongs and drums. Banners and flags are means whereby the ears
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  and eyes of the host may be folks bused on one particular point the host,
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  thus forming a single united body. It is impossible either for the brave
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  to advance alone or for the cowardly to retreat alone. This is the art
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  of handling large masses of men in night fighting. Then make much use of
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  signal, fires and drums, and in fighting by day of flags and banners
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  as a means of influencing the ears and eyes of your army. A whole
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  army may be robbed of its spirit. A commander in chief may be robbed
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  of his presence of mind. Now a soldier's spirit is keenest in the morning,
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  by noonday it has begun to flag, and in the evening his mind
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  is bent only on returning to camp. A clever general therefore avoids an army
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  when its spirit is keen, but attacks it when it is sluggish and inclined
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  to return. This is the art of studying moods disciplined and calm, to
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  await the appearance of disorder in hubbub amongst the enemy. This is the art
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  of retaining self possession, to be near the goal while the enemy is still
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  far from it, To wait at ease while the enemy is toiling and struggling,
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  To be well fed while the enemy is famished. This is the art
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  of husbanding one's strength. To refrain from intercepting an enemy whose banners are in
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  perfect order. To refrain from attacking an army drawn up in calm and confident
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  array. This is the art of studying circumstances. It is a military axiom
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  not to advance uphill against the enemy, nor to oppose him when he comes
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  downhill. Do not pursue an enemy who simulates flight. Do not attack soldiers
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  whose temper is keen. Do not swallow bait offered by the enemy. Do
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  not interfe with an army that is returning home. When you surround an army,
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  leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard.
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  Such is the art of warfare. End of Chapter seven.